


ROUS In The Darklands

by Nariva



Category: King Arthur: Legend of the Sword (2017), Princess Bride (1987)
Genre: Crossover, Darklands, F/M, Rodents of Unusual Size - ROUS, Why Has No One Else Made This Crossover?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-01
Updated: 2018-04-01
Packaged: 2019-04-16 15:38:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,583
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14168070
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nariva/pseuds/Nariva
Summary: While traversing the Darklands, Arthur stumbles across a very odd couple.





	ROUS In The Darklands

**Author's Note:**

> The moment the giant rat appeared in "Legend of the Sword" I instantly thought, 'ROUS!'

     When he returned from this insane land, he and mage were going to have _words_. Words about giant bats things, snakes the size of men; wolves with glowing eyes. The hem of his shirt caught on brambles, and Arthur tugged it free, muttering under his breath as he pushed deeper into the forest. Really, would it have hurt her plans to at least give some hints about the things that lived here? No, "Arthur, beware of the shrieking bats," no, "there are also snakes that could swallow you whole," just, "you must touch the sword to the alter stone." Oh, Arthur would touch the stupid sword to the alter stone all right, he'd-

     "-we can avoid that," a male voice carried through the woods, and Arthur froze. A person? Out here? But the Mage had been clear that- "Two, the lightening sand, which you were clever enough to discover what that looks like, so in the future we can avoid that too." _Lightening_ sand? What the hell was the man talking about? Readying his walking stick, Arthur quietly crept forward, craning his neck about to see if he could find the speaker. A flash of color caught his eye, and the king-to-be stared at the people making their way through the forest. A woman in red, a man in black.

     "Westley," the blond woman interrupted, catching the man's shoulder as she looked at him in mounting concern. "What about the ROUSes?" What? Arthur cocked his head, frowning in bafflement at the term.

     "Rodents Of Unusual Size?" the man asked, shaking his head after a momentary pause. "I don't think they exist." And out leapt the single largest rat Arthur had ever seen, nearly crushing the woman's companion beneath it as it snarled and sank its teeth into his arm. The man cried out in pain, struggling in vain against the creature's weight, and Arthur dropped his stick, pulling the sword from its scabbard. Ignoring the chill that stung his hand, he rushed out to aid the man, gritting his teeth as he swung at the disgusting creature. The sword bit into its hide, and for a moment, he though he saw a faint flash of blue- and then the rat released the other man, turning on him as it cried out in pain and hissed in anger. Its slow, heavily lopping gait made his skin crawl, and he backed away from the thing as it snarled at him. He risked a glance at the woman for aid- the rat had its back turned to her, she could catch it unawares, but the woman stood frozen, her gaze locked on the creature as it continued its advance.

     "Hey," he called out, and her eyes snapped to his. "A little help right now would be _appreciated_!" She didn't move a muscle, stood gaping at him and the creature as he ducked away from the swipe of a clawed paw. Bloody hell, why wasn't she _doing_ anything? And that's when the man in black struck, pinning the creature by its tail with his own sword. It awkwardly spun back towards him, snapping and growling, and Arthur took that chance to drive Excalibur through the beast's thick hide. It was a slow blow, the thing's fur was thick and matted, but Arthur leaned on the sword, putting his full weight behind it. The rat gave a pained howl as the sword at last cut into its flesh, writhing as it gave another skin crawling howl. Yet still he pressed harder, fighting back a gag as something in it gave way, his sword tearing down through its belly to pierce the mud below. It weakly struggled against him, the cry thinner, weaker now, until it at last went still and silent. His lips peeling back in disgust, Arthur yanked on Excalibur, pulling it from the creature's body as he stumbled back. He flexed his fingers, shaking out his hands as he stared at the creature before him. What was it? How had such a thing ever even come to be?

     "Thank you," the man in black said, his words focusing Arthur's attention back on him.

     "You're welcome," he muttered, unable to keep his gaze from sliding back to the creature.

     "I really didn't think they existed," the other man said, shaking his head as he sat down to rub at his bloodied sleeve. "I guess I was wrong." The woman was at his side in an instant, tearing at the bottom of her gown. She wrapped the strip she pulled off tightly about his arm, reaching up to turn his face to hers as she looked him over in concern.

     "Are you all right, Westley? The horrid thing didn't hurt you anywhere else?"

     "No, Buttercup," the man, Westley, reassured her, turning from her to give Arthur a thankful smile. "Our friend here killed the beast before it could do more harm. Thank you, Ser...?"

     "Arthur," Arthur answered, waving a hand at the massive corpse laying between them. "What was that thing?"

     "An ROUS? You don't know?" Arthur shook his head at the woman's question, getting a slight frown in return. "But the ROUS are native to Guilder, how could you not know about them?"

     "I'm from Londinium," he answered, mirroring her frown with his own when the two showed no hint of recognition. "You know, Londinium." Still nothing. "Near Camelot? Known for its perfectly fine brothels, and upstanding, loyal citizens?"

     "I'm sorry, Ser Arthur," the woman apologized, "Londinium must truly be far from Florin, for I've never heard of it."

     "Truly far," her companion added, " _I've_ never heard of it." The woman gave him a look of surprise at that, her eyebrows rising high as she looked between the two of them.

     "What are you doing in the Darklands?" Arthur asked, leaning back against a tree as he glanced around their surroundings. He hadn't even heard the rat approaching, he'd have to start being more carful if more of those things truly lived here. Killed by a giant rat- his friends wouldn't weep, they'd laugh.

     "I'm going to kill my prince," Westley told him, and Arthur blinked at the man, a sudden smile quirking his lips.

     "Funny," he muttered, "I'm here to kill my king."

     "Mine tried to have Buttercup killed," the other man explained, as if feeling some need to justify his goal. "He would have used her death to start a war between Guildar and Florin."

     "Mine killed my mothers and father." Arthur obligingly stated, giving as nonchalant a shrug as he could manage. God, thinking of it still hurt. "And he's a _prick_."

     "Ah," Westley nodded at that, looking somewhat uncomfortable. The woman, who continued to bandage the other man's arm, gave him a look of sympathy. "I'm truly sorry for your loss, I hope you succeed in killing him."

     "You too," Arthur said, shoving off the tree. This had been a decent little rest, but the alter wasn't going to be getting any closer. "Good luck," he told the couple, and was in the act of reaching for his walking stick when the other blond man spoke up.

     "I don't mean to pry," Westley hesitantly started, and he stopped, met the man's eyes again, "but... you don't by any chance happen to have six fingers on your right hand?"

     "Do you always work that into conversations with people who've saved your life?" Arthur asked, and at the silent look it got him, he raised his right hand, showing off his five fingers.

     "I was asking for an honorable enemy," the man replied, as if that explained everything.

     " _Honorable_ enemy?"

     "He was a decent fellow," the other man said, "skilled with the sword."

     "Was?" Arthur asked.

     "Is," Westley corrected himself. "He would have followed us, I had to knock him out."

     "Why would he have followed you?"

     "He was one of several men who kidnapped Buttercup," he answered, giving a nod to the woman.

     "And you let him live?" If the Vikings had taken his mothe- Lucy from him, he'd have gutted every one of them and greeted the Sergeant with a smile, the King's protection be damned. But the Vikings hadn't taken Lucy, Vortigern himself had. And when he finally reached him...

     "As I said, he was a decent man. Even helped me climb the Cliffs of Insanity," Westley added, and the woman beside him startled, looking to him in surprise.

     "That's how you caught up to us so quickly?" she asked, and the man nodded. All right, Arthur thought with a shrug, he could somewhat understand that reasoning. After all, why have enemies when you could have friends? He tucked the sword away, shaking his hand in relief as warmth slowly returned to it.

     "Well," he said, a touch louder, and the two once more looked to him. "Like I said, good luck with killing your prince."

     "And you with your king," Westley echoed the sentiment, also sheathing his sword as the woman moved to stand at his side. Arthur knelt, taking up his walking stick as they made to pass him by. He paused then; turned back to the two.

     "Westley, Buttercup," he called out, and they stopped, turned towards him. "If we ever meet again, tell me what happened with your prince." The swordsman glanced at his companion, and turned to Arthur, giving him a crooked smile.

     "As you wish." Nodding their goodbyes, the two started deeper into the heart of the Darkland forest, and Arthur began his quest once more.


End file.
